Ladder



(No Model.) x

J. D. 8: L. M. NORTON.

LADDER. No. 310,218. PatentedJanpf), 1885.

H. PETERS. Pnnmuha n mr. Wishingm-L D. 9v

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH DRANOES NORTON AND LEONARD MARSHALL NORTON, OF VEST HAMPTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

LADDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 310,218, dated January 6, 1885.

Applicaiion filed October 1, 1884. (No model.)

ed out of the way or at an angle thereto when in use. The object of this part of our invention is to provide a hook which is adapted to catch over the ridge of the roof when the lad- (1 er is used as a roof-ladder, and which is adapt- 5 5 ed to'project outwardly from the ladder and to have the projecting points bear against the side of the house when the ladder is used as a paintingladder, and thus prevent contact of the upper end of the ladder with the house 60 and the consequent damage and abrasion of a portion of its surface, the points which are provided for the hooks serving the twofold purpose of securing the upper ends of the ladder against slipping and also of keeping it out of 65 contact with the side of the house.

Fourth, in the combinatiomwith the ladder, of a step which is adapted to be applied thereto, said step being provided with bearing-lugs on its under side, at one of its ends, for resting 70 on one of the'rounds of the ladder, a bearingshoulder at its opposite end for resting against the rear side of one of the sides of the ladder, and a sliding clampingshoulder that is secured to the end of the step on the opposite 7 5 side from the bearing-shoulder for the pur-- pose of clamping the step to the ladder, and the rod which passes through one of the beariug-lugs for the purpose of adjusting the step to ladders of any width, and a set-screw for So securing the rod in place, as will be more fully described hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is perspective of our invention complete. Fig. 2 is a detail, partly in section, showing the 85 construction of the extension-leg and the man ner of applying it to the ladder. Fig. 3 is a detail elevation of one of the hooks. Figs. 4-, 5, and 6 are detail views showing the construction of the step and the manner of applying it to the ladder.

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, J osErrr D. NonToN and LEONARD M. NORTON of Vest Hampton, in the county of Hampshire and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and use ful Improvements in Ladders and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use it, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

Our invention relates to an improvementin ladders; and it consists I 5 First, in the combinatiomwiththelower section of a ladder, of a section which is adapted to slide vertically thereon, and an upper section, which is adapted to either be rigidly secured to the top of the sliding section or to be pivoted thereto. The object of this part of our invention is to provide a ladder the two lower sections of which are adapted to reach the roof of a house, and which will permit the upper section, which is pivoted to the top of the sliding section, to be bent over and rest upon the roof of the house, or which up per section may be, if necessary, rigidly secured to the top of the sliding section when it is necessary to use a ladder of unusual length. Second, in the eo1nbinatio1i,with aladder,of

an extension-leg which is adapted to be secured to the lower end thereof or to be removed therefrom, said extension leg consisting of clamping-bars provided with thumb-screws for securing them to the lower rounds of the ladder, a notched leg which is secured to one of the clamping-bars and adapted to slide thereon, and a pivoted link which is secured to said bar, and which is adapted to catch in any of 4 the notches in the leg,and thus hold it at any desired point. The object of this part of our invention is to provide an extension-leg for a ladder, for the purpose of enabling the ladder to be maintained in a vertical position upon uneven surfaces.

Third, in the combinatiomwith a ladder, of a hook which is pivoted to its upper end, said hook being provided with an extensiorrpoint, and means for securing the hook either in place against the side of the ladder when fold- A represents the lower section of the ladder, which is constructed in the ordinary way. This ladder is provided at its upper end with bent metallic strips B, which embrace the sliding 5 section 0, which is placed on the outside of the section A, and which is adapted to slide vertically on said lower section.

As here shown, I have provided a tackle, .T), for raising and lowering the sliding section;

but any other suitable means may be employed for this purpose, if preferred. The upper ends of the sliding section are provided with open slots E, and below these slots are formed aseries of Openings, F, which are adapted to receive the pin G.

J represents the upper sectiomwhieh is provided 011 its lower ends with open-ended slots Land which is provided with openings H, similar to the openings F of the sliding section. This upper section may be rigidly secured to the sliding section, by having its notches I to rest upon the round of the sliding section and passing the pin G through the openings F and H, as shown in solid lines in Fig. 1. \Vhen the three sections are thus united, a ladder of considerable length is produced.

\Vhen used upon a house ol an ordinary height,and it is desired that the upper section of the ladder may be employed as a roof-ladder, while the lower sections are to be used as a paint-ladder, the upper section is merely pivoted to the lowersection by means of the pin G, the notches I being out of contact with the up per rounds of the sliding section. This enables the upper section to be swung over and laid upon the top of the house, as represented by the dotted lines in Fig. l.

Vhen the ladder is to be used upon uneven ground, in order to maintain it in an upright position,we provide an extension-leg,which is shown in Fig. 2, and which is constructed as follows: Two clampbars, L L, are secured together by means of thumb-screws I and openings L are formed in said bars at a distance apart corresponding to the space that is between the rounds of the ladder from center to center. The bar L is longer than the bar L, and is provided. with the metallic strip L", in which is secured the upper end of aleg, L. This leg is thus adapted to slide upon the bar L, and is provided on its lower rear side with a series of notches, L. A link-pawl, L is pivoted to the lower end of the bar L, and is adapted to engage with any of the notches L", and thereby secure the leg L at any requisite adjustment. This extension-leg is adapted to be used in connection with the ladder, or may be readily removed therefrom when there is no occasion for using it, as will be readily understood, and forms an adjunct of considerable importance.

In Fig. 3 we illustrate a ladder-hook, O, which is pivoted to the upper end of the ladder, as at O. The hook is composed of malleable iron, or may be formed from any other suitable material, and is provided at its outer end with a projecting point, 0 A depend ing hook, O, is also provided,which is adapted to secure the section 011 the ridge ol' the roof when used as a roof-ladder.

\Vhen the ladder is used in painting a house, the hook is bent into the position shown in Fig. 3, and the point Obears against the side of the house, and thus keeps the upper end of the ladder out of contact therewith and prevents an abrasion and injury to the painted surface. The point 0* slightly penetrates the surface and prevents the upper end of the ladder from slipping.

In order to secure the hook in any desired position upon the ladder when in use, or to fold it against the side when notin use, out of the way,we providea segmental slot,O, which is drawn l'romthepivotal point 0. A thumbscrew, 0, passes through this slot and enters the side of the ladder, andis adapted to clamp the hook thereto in any desired posit-ion, as will be very readily understood.

In Figs. 4, 5, and 6 we illustrate a step which is adapted to be applied to the ladder. This step I? is provided with depending lugs P on one of its ends, which are adapted to rest upon one of the rounds of the ladder, and to the opposite end of the step is secured an an gular casting, I. Formed integrally with this casting is a shoulder, P, which bears against the rear side of one of the sides of the ladder, as shown in Fig. l. A sliding shonlder, I, which is provided with an extended slotted arm, I bears against the opposite side of the side of the ladder,and thereby clamps the step in position thereon. A set-screw, 1?, passes through the slotted arm and into the casting on the end of the step. This set-screw clamps the sliding shoulder in place, and enables it to adapt the step to be clamped to ladders having sides of various widths. In order to adapt this step to be applied to ladders of di1'- ferent widths, we provide a sliding rod, P which passes through an opening that is made in one of the lugs P. A set'screw, P, clamps the sliding red at any desired point.

\Vhen the step is applied to a ladder whose width extends beyond the length of the step, the sliding rod is extended until its outer end bears against the inner side of the ladder, at which point the sliding rod is clamped in position by the setscrew heretofore described.

A ladder constructed as hereinbefore described is light, cheap, strong, and is efiicient to a degree which is not possessed by ladders in common use, and is adapted to be used for a variety of purposes.

Having thus described our invention, we claim- 7 1. In a ladder, the combination of a lower section,a sliding section which is secured there to, means for'raising and lowering the sliding section, and an upper section which is adapted to be rigidly secured to the sliding section or to be pivoted to the upper end thereof, for the purpose set forth, substantially as described.

2. In a ladder, the combination of a lower section, a sliding section which is attached thereto, means for raising or lowering the sliding section, said sliding section being provided with openings F, and an upper section which is provided with openings H and notched lower ends, I, and a pin, G, substantially as described.

3. The eombination,with a ladder, of an extension-leg which is composed of the clampba-rs L and L, thumb-screws L and sliding leg L provided with notches, and a link, U, which is pivoted to one of the bars, and which is adapted to catch in the notches in the s1iding leg, substantially as described.

4. The combination of aladder with a hook,

(),which is provided with the points 0 0 slot.

6. The combinatiomwith a ladder, of a step which is provided with means, substantially as shown, for securing it to one of the sides of the ladder, a rod which is adapted to be extended beyond one of the ends of the step, for the purpose set forth, and means for clamping said rod in place, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof we affix oursignaturcs in presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH DRANCES NORTON. LEONARD MARSHALL NORTON.

Witnesses:

ENOS PARSONS, S. W. GRISWOLD. 

